There are many great museums for kids in New York City that are amazing to visit for the entire family.
With a lot of family-friendly activities, NYC is a great city to visit with kids. One of the best things you can do if you travel to the city with kids is to visit a museum. Visiting a kid-friendly museum isn’t only very fun for children, but it’s also a great way to learn something new.
From colorful immersive art exhibits to natural history to vintage trains, the museums have a lot to offer and there’s something for everyone’s liking.
Here are the best museums for kids in NYC!
Best Museums for Kids in New York City
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is a museum that is one of the first children’s museums in the world. The museum was founded in 1899 and it is a great place for children to learn in a fun and physical way.
There are several fun exhibits at the museum that make it possible for children to do this.
For example, there is one exhibit that is called “World Brooklyn”. This is an exhibit where many miniature versions of shops can be found. For example, there is a grocery shop, there is a bakery, and there are several other shops.
Another exhibit that can be found at the museum is the “Neighborhood Nature” exhibit, which is an exhibit where children can learn about life sciences.
Address: 145 Brooklyn Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11213
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History is a fun and interesting museum to visit with kids in NYC. This is a natural history museum that can be found in Theodore Roosevelt Park on the Upper West Side.
At the museum, you can find a large permanent collection with more than 30 million specimens. These are specimens of plants, fossils, minerals, and many other items.
These objects are on display in various halls that focus on a specific type of object. For example, there is one exhibit that is a Tyrannosaurus rex exhibit, and there is also an exhibit that focuses on artifacts from the Pacific Northwest.
Address: 200 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024
Staten Island Children’s Museum
The Staten Island Children’s Museum is a children’s museum in New York City that was opened in the year 1976. At this museum, children can learn new things in a hands-on interactive way.
You can find 12 interactive exhibits at the museum, of which 10 are indoor exhibits and 2 are outdoor exhibits.
For example, one exhibit allows children to learn about bugs by seeing them up close, crawling in a human-size ant hill, and trying on an insect exoskeleton.
Another exhibit focuses on the different landscapes of the world, such as those of rainforests.
Furthermore, there is an exhibit that is all about construction. Here, children can learn about architects and construction workers.
Another fun exhibit for children is one where they can learn about firefighters.
Color Factory
Color Factory is a very immersive museum with several locations in the United States. One of these locations is in New York City and it is a great place to visit for all ages.
Here, you can see more than 10 immersive art installations where you can see beautiful colors and all kinds of design elements. The museum focuses on the “joy of color” and it wants to make its visitors happy.
One of the art installations has a lot of colorful confetti.
Also, there is an art installation where you can see a lot of balls in a beautiful shade of light blue, while another installation has a lot of glitter.
You can walk around in each art installation!
Address: 251 Spring St, New York, NY 10013
Museum of Ice Cream
The Museum of Ice Cream in New York City is a very unique museum that is very colorful. At this museum, you can see and experience a lot of things that relate to ice cream.
For example, you can eat unlimited ice cream treats when you go here!
Also, you can find many different multisensory installations here through which you can learn about ice cream and the history of ice cream.
Another fun activity that you can do at the museum is playing a very large sprinkle pool.
This museum is great to visit for anyone including kids, and it is possible to go here every day of the week from 9:30 AM to 8 PM, but opening hours may vary.
Address: 558 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
New York City Fire Museum
The New York City Fire Museum is one of the best museums for kids in NYC. At this museum, one can learn about fire, firefighting, and related subjects.
You can find the museum at 278 Spring Street in a former firehouse from the year 1904.
The New York City Fire Museum is a museum with a large collection of art related to fire, apparatus from the 18th century, and many other objects.
There are special exhibits where you can learn about firefighting in New York City, including its history from early brigades that used buckets till the present day. The historical objects that are on display are very interesting to see.
Address: 278 Spring St, New York, NY 10013
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
The Children’s Museum of Manhattan is a children’s museum that is located on the Upper West Side in the Manhattan borough.
The museum was founded in 1973, but it had a different name back then.
Lots of fun and interesting exhibits can be found here that allow children to play and learn at the same time.
For example, you can find an exhibit here that is all about voting and politics. Children can learn about voting in general and place a ballet in one of three voting cases.
Also, children can learn about the President through this exhibit, as you can find a miniature version of the Oval Office here.
Furthermore, there is a Dora and Diego exhibit here, and there are several other types of exhibits.
Address: 212 W 83rd St, New York, NY 10024
New York Transit Museum
The New York Transit Museum is a great museum to go to if you are in Brooklyn with your children.
This is a museum that is all about transportation in New York City, and the museum focuses on all kinds of transportation. From trains to cars to the subway to buses, the museum covers it all.
What’s interesting is that the museum is located in the former Court Street subway station. At this place, you can find a lot of different memorabilia and photos related to transportation.
Also, there are historic subway cars at the museum that are interesting to see, and there sometimes are special events at the museum during which you can ride a historic rail car to various places in New York City. These rides can be a lot of fun to do with kids.
Address: 99 Schermerhorn St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
INTER_
INTER_ is a very interactive and immersive art museum that you can go to with kids in New York City. You can find this museum in Manhattan’s Soho neighborhood.
At the museum, you can find very modern art installation that uses state-of-the-art techniques to create an immersive experience.
You can see art projected around you on the walls, which is very unique to see. There are many different types of colors and shapes, and what’s interesting is that the rooms all showcase different types of digital art.
Address: 415 Broadway, New York, NY 10013
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is also one of the best museums for kids in New York City. You can find it at Pier 86 along the Hudson River in the western part of Manhattan.
This is an American military and maritime history museum where you can see many kinds of museums ships, airplanes, and other items.
The most special ship that you can find here is the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier.
You can walk on the deck of the aircraft carrier, which is a very special experience.
On the aircraft carrier, you can see many aircraft, such as a F-16A, a Douglas A-1 Skyraider, and a British Airways Concorde.
Also, you can see the Space Shuttle Enterprise at the museum.
Address: Pier 86, W 46th St, New York, NY 10036
Jewish Children’s Museum
The Jewish Children’s Museum is a museum that you can find at 792 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn. This is a large Jewish children’s museum that is dedicated to the promotion of Jewish heritage and children can go here to learn about this.
There are many permanent educational exhibits through which children can learn about Jewish life in a fun way. Each exhibit focuses on a different part of Jewish history or culture.
For example, there are all kinds of exhibits here that relate to Biblical times. An example of such an exhibit is a “Noah’s Ark ball pit”.
Another fun exhibit is one where children can “shop” for kosher groceries.
Address: 792 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn, NY 11213
Museum of Illusions
The Museum of Illusions NYC is a museum that can be found at 77 8th Avenue in Manhattan.
This is a museum that is all about illusions.
At this museum, you can find many types of exhibits with unique illusions. These exhibits contain a lot of mirrors, lights, moving parts, and other elements.
Each exhibit features an illusion that will amaze you. For example, you can find a room here where it appears as if there is no gravity.
Also, there is a tilted room that you can stand in with another person. This room makes it look like one of the people is very large and one is very small.
Address: 77 8th Ave, New York, NY 10014
The Skyscraper Museum
The Skyscraper Museum is an amazing museum to visit with children in NYC that is all about skyscrapers and you can find it in the Battery Park City neighborhood at 39 Battery Place.
At the museum, you can learn about all kinds of aspects of skyscrapers. From their design to the construction of the skyscrapers to their history, there is a lot to see and learn about here.
The museum can be great to visit with children and what’s great is that you can visit this museum completely for free!
Address: 39 Battery Pl, New York, NY 10280
Museum of the Moving Image
The Museum of the Moving Image is a museum that is located in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens. The museum is located in the former building of Astoria Studios and was opened in 1988.
This museum is dedicated to many aspects of film, television, and digital media, and it is a great museum for all ages and interests.
You can find a lot of exhibitions at the museum that relate to art, history, and technology.
There is an interactive permanent exhibition and there are often temporary exhibitions. In addition to that, there are often film screenings and other events.
Address: 36-01 35th Ave, Queens, NY 11106
Spyscape
Spyscape is an immersive museum that is located at 928 8th Avenue in Manhattan.
This museum is all about secrets and spies, and you can find various interesting exhibits here.
For example, there are exhibits about encryption and deception. For example, you can learn here about the CIA. Furthermore, there are exhibits about surveillance and a variety of other subjects.
You can learn about these subjects through photographs, equipment, multimedia displays, and much more.
Also, what’s great is that you can do a special experience during which you’ll have to do challenges that were designed by a former “Head of Training” at MI6.
Address: 928 8th Ave, New York, NY 10019
South Street Seaport Museum
The South Street Seaport Museum is a great museum that is located at 12 Fulton Street in Manhattan. At this museum, you can learn about the historic Seaport District and about the history of New York City as a port city.
You can find a collection here of many different maritime art, maritime artifacts, and historic vessels.
An amazing experience that you can do at this museum is doing a historic sail. During this, you’ll sail on a historic vessel and discover the city from the water. An example of a vessel that you can sail when you are going here is the W.O. Decker, which is a historic wooden New York-designed tugboat.
Address: 12 Fulton St, New York, NY 10038
National Museum of Mathematics
The National Museum of Mathematics is a fun museum to visit with kids in New York City. You can find this museum at 11 East 26th Street and the museum focuses on enhancing the understanding and perception of mathematics.
At the museum, you can find a lot of interactive exhibits through which children and people of all ages can learn about mathematics in a fun way.
There is a huge collection of exhibits at the museum. For example, there is a fun exhibit where you can have a smooth ride while riding on a trike with square wheels.
Another interesting exhibit is one where you can use a robotic basketball-shooter and take a shot by using mathematics.
The Met
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is also called The Met, is the largest and most popular museum in New York City and it is a great place to check out with kids.
Because the collection of the museum is very large and diverse, there is a lot to explore when you go here.
The collection consists of art from all around the world. For example, there are classical antiquities.
Also, there are a lot of sculptures, costumes, weapons, musical instruments, and many other items on display. These can be great to see when you are in the city with kids.
Not only is seeing these items with kids very fun but also it is a great way for children to learn about art from all around the world.
Address: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
AKC Museum of the Dog
The American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog is a unique museum that is completely focused on the role of dogs in society. The museum is dedicated to educating the public about the bond between humans and dogs, and you can find a lot of art here.
The museum has rotating exhibits that showcase objects from the collection which consists of 1,700 items. For example, you can see a lot of fine art here with dogs as the subject.
Moreover, the museum holds both historic objects as well as contemporary works.
What’s interesting as well is that the museum has high-tech interactive digital displays through which the public can learn about the bond between humans and dogs.
Address: 101 Park Ave, New York, NY 10178
Museum of the City of New York
One of the best museums in NYC for kids who like learning about history is the Museum of the City of New York.
This museum was founded in 1923 and it was housed in the Gracie Mansion, which is now the official residence of the Mayor of New York.
At this museum, you can learn about the past, present, and future of New York City, and you can do this by seeing interesting objects that relate to the city.
The collection of the museum consists of about 750,000 objects, and these include photographs, costumes, sculptures, toys, prints, paintings, and many other items. You can see the highlights of this collection at the “New York at Its Core” exhibition.
Furthermore, there are often interesting temporary exhibits that relate to a particular type of subject related to the city here.
Address: 1220 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029
National Lighthouse Museum
The National Lighthouse Museum is a museum that is located on Staten Island, NY. This museum is located at the former site of the General Depot of the United States Lighthouse Service and you can learn about the history and technology of lighthouses here.
The building in which the museum is located was used as a testing ground and distribution center for equipment and materials to light keepers.
At the museum, you can find various exhibits that relate to lighthouses. For example, you can find an exhibit here about the history of lighthouses in the United States. Also, there is an exhibit that focuses on the technology of projecting the light from the lighthouses.
You can discover this museum with kids by doing a self-guided tour.
Address: 200 The Promenade at Lighthouse Point, Staten Island, NY 10301
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NYC Museums for Kids Tips
When you are going to one of the museums for kids in NYC on this list, I recommend buying a ticket in advance. This can save you a lot of time as you often don’t have to stand in line to buy a ticket at the museum. This will make your experience with kids much more comfortable!
Museums for Kids in NYC Map
As you see, there are many great museums for kids in NYC. I hope you found a museum you want to visit!